The Doctor's humanity.
Jan. 15th, 2006 01:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
icebluenothingOver in the ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
doctorwho community, someone asked: "Why is everyone so bothered about the Doctor being half human?"
This is an idea that was introduced in the 1996 FOX TV movie, and I've always disliked it. I commented there, but thought I'd reproduce it here.
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I hate the whole half-human idea, not because it ruins the Doctor's specialness -- but because it ruins ours.
Consider the Doctor's wonderful monologue in The Ark in Space:
"Homo sapiens. What an inventive, invincible species. It's only been a few million years since they crawled up out of the mud and learned to walk. Puny, defenseless bipeds. They've survived flood, famine and plague. They've survived cosmic wars and holocausts. And now, here they are, out among the stars, waiting to begin a new life. Ready to outsit eternity. They're indomitable... indomitable."
Or even just the line, "It may be irrational of me, but human beings are quite my favorite species." It's clear throughout the entire series -- the Doctor loves this planet, loves its people.
To tell that story, the story of an alien who finds us worthwhile, is to have the faith that we are worth loving, that we're worthwhile, that despite all our flaws, there is something special about us. That we're redeemable.
To tell the other story -- the story of someone who loves this planet because of his birth and lineage, out of simple chauvinism -- is to reject that faith, to say that the only reason why anyone could possibly care for others is out of simple tribalism.
That's a painfully limited story. And it's not Doctor Who.
doctorwho community, someone asked: "Why is everyone so bothered about the Doctor being half human?"This is an idea that was introduced in the 1996 FOX TV movie, and I've always disliked it. I commented there, but thought I'd reproduce it here.
________
I hate the whole half-human idea, not because it ruins the Doctor's specialness -- but because it ruins ours.
Consider the Doctor's wonderful monologue in The Ark in Space:
"Homo sapiens. What an inventive, invincible species. It's only been a few million years since they crawled up out of the mud and learned to walk. Puny, defenseless bipeds. They've survived flood, famine and plague. They've survived cosmic wars and holocausts. And now, here they are, out among the stars, waiting to begin a new life. Ready to outsit eternity. They're indomitable... indomitable."
Or even just the line, "It may be irrational of me, but human beings are quite my favorite species." It's clear throughout the entire series -- the Doctor loves this planet, loves its people.
To tell that story, the story of an alien who finds us worthwhile, is to have the faith that we are worth loving, that we're worthwhile, that despite all our flaws, there is something special about us. That we're redeemable.
To tell the other story -- the story of someone who loves this planet because of his birth and lineage, out of simple chauvinism -- is to reject that faith, to say that the only reason why anyone could possibly care for others is out of simple tribalism.
That's a painfully limited story. And it's not Doctor Who.
